MERCEDES VALENZUELA
Sacramento,CA
Summary
California government relations and public affairs professional with experience supporting senior elected leadership, analyzing complex legislative and regulatory issues, and building relationships across state and local government, industry, labor, advocacy, and community organizations. Experienced in policy analysis, stakeholder engagement, executive briefings, elected official and VIP visits, and high-profile public events. Brings strong knowledge of California government, sound political judgment, and experience navigating complex issues involving diverse public and private stakeholders.
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
Work History
Legislative Aide
California State Senate, Office of Senator Mike McGuire
11.2025 - Current
- Manage a broad legislative portfolio including elections and constitutional amendments, technology, energy, judiciary, education, agriculture, human services, veterans affairs, and other policy areas.
- Analyze legislation, amendments, regulatory developments, fiscal and political impacts, and stakeholder positions; develop recommendations and concise policy briefings for senior leadership.
- Work with state agencies, legislative offices, local governments, labor, advocates, industry representatives, and community organizations to identify concerns, evaluate competing perspectives, negotiate policy issues, and advance office priorities.
- Prepare bill analyses, policy memos, talking points, correspondence, background materials, and hearing preparation while monitoring legislation, committee activity, deadlines, votes, and other legislative developments.
- Represent the office in stakeholder meetings and policy discussions and coordinate follow-up across government and external partners on fast-moving and politically sensitive issues.
Advance & Operations Manager
California State Senate | Mike McGuire for Congress
11.2025 - Current
- Lead candidate advance and campaign operations across Northern California, coordinating travel, public appearances, community meetings, stakeholder roundtables, fundraisers, and political events.
- Advance engagements from planning through execution, including site logistics, run of show, candidate movement, transportation, staffing, materials, vendors, host coordination, and contingency planning.
- Prepare advance memos, itineraries, briefing materials, participant lists, and local context for engagements with elected officials, community leaders, organizations, donors, businesses, and other stakeholders.
- Coordinate with scheduling, political, finance, communications, and field teams while maintaining relationships with elected officials, political stakeholders, event hosts, community organizations, and campaign partners.
Assistant to the President pro Tempore
California State Senate
02.2024 - 11.2025
- Coordinated and advanced high-profile official visits, public appearances, stakeholder engagements, press events, and community events throughout California, managing site logistics, schedules, principal and VIP movement, transportation, security considerations, elected official participation, venues, staff, and external partners.
- Traveled extensively with the Senate Leader and managed on-the-ground execution of press conferences, community visits, stakeholder meetings, ceremonies, legislative engagements, and other public appearances.
- Coordinated directly with legislators, local elected officials, government agencies, political stakeholders, labor, community organizations, businesses, media, venues, and senior staff throughout California.
- Prepared executive briefings, remarks, talking points, correspondence, press releases, and media advisories incorporating relevant policy, political, participant, and community context.
- Worked across legislative, communications, scheduling, district, and executive teams, exercising discretion, attention to detail, and political judgment in a high-pressure environment with rapidly changing priorities.
Legislative Aide
Office of the Majority Floor Leader; California State Senate
12.2022 - 02.2024
- Conducted legislative research and policy analysis, supported bill and issue development, tracked committee activity and legislative deadlines, and prepared recommendations and briefing materials.
- Managed stakeholder and constituent outreach and worked with government offices, advocates, community organizations, and other partners on legislative and district priorities.
- Supported public events, scheduling, correspondence, and special projects while developing extensive knowledge of the California legislative process and constituent-facing government operations.
Office Assistant
Office of the Majority Floor Leader; California State Senate
07.2022 - 12.2022
- Supported Capitol office operations, constituent services, scheduling, legislative administration, and preparation, tracking, and filing of required documentation to support timely FPPC compliance.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - History
California State University, Stanislaus
Stanislaus05.2022
Skills
- Government Relations
- California State & Local Government
- Legislative & Regulatory Analysis
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Policy Research & Briefing
- Community Relations
- Political & Regulatory Monitoring
- VIP & Elected Official Visits
- Public & Press Events
- FPPC Compliance
- Project & Event Management
- Political strategy
- Volunteer management
POLITICAL & CAMPAIGN EXPERIENCE
Campaign and volunteer experience since 2016 across presidential, state legislative, Senate Democratic Caucus, and ballot-measure campaigns, including voter outreach, field operations, GOTV, community engagement, event support, and coordination with candidates, elected officials, campaign staff, and volunteers.
Timeline
Legislative Aide
California State Senate, Office of Senator Mike McGuire
11.2025 - Current
Advance & Operations Manager
California State Senate | Mike McGuire for Congress
11.2025 - Current
Assistant to the President pro Tempore
California State Senate
02.2024 - 11.2025
Legislative Aide
Office of the Majority Floor Leader; California State Senate
12.2022 - 02.2024
Office Assistant
Office of the Majority Floor Leader; California State Senate
07.2022 - 12.2022
Bachelor of Arts - History
California State University, Stanislaus